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Odhus CO, Kapanga RR, Oele E. Barriers to and enablers of quality improvement in primary health care in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 4:e0002756. [PMID: 38236832 PMCID: PMC10796071 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
The quality of health care remains generally poor across primary health care settings, especially in low- and middle-income countries where tertiary care tends to take up much of the limited resources despite primary health care being the first (and often the only) point of contact with the health system for nearly 80 per cent of people in these countries. Evidence is needed on barriers and enablers of quality improvement initiatives. This systematic review sought to answer the question: What are the enablers of and barriers to quality improvement in primary health care in low- and middle-income countries? It adopted an integrative review approach with narrative evidence synthesis, which combined qualitative and mixed methods research studies systematically. Using a customized geographic search filter for LMICs developed by the Cochrane Collaboration, Scopus, Academic Search Ultimate, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PSYCHINFO, EMBASE, ProQuest Dissertations and Overton.io (a new database for LMIC literature) were searched in January and February 2023, as were selected websites and journals. 7,077 reports were retrieved. After removing duplicates, reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts and full texts, performed quality appraisal and data extraction, followed by analysis and synthesis. 50 reports from 47 studies were included, covering 52 LMIC settings. Six themes related to barriers and enablers of quality improvement were identified and organized using the model for understanding success in quality (MUSIQ) and the consolidated framework for implementation research (CFIR). These were: microsystem of quality improvement, intervention attributes, implementing organization and team, health systems support and capacity, external environment and structural factors, and execution. Decision makers, practitioners, funders, implementers, and other stakeholders can use the evidence from this systematic review to minimize barriers and amplify enablers to better the chances that quality improvement initiatives will be successful in resource-limited settings. PROSPERO registration: CRD42023395166.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camlus Otieno Odhus
- Division of Health Research, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | | | - Elizabeth Oele
- County Department of Health, County Government of Kisumu, Kisumu, Kenya
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Curran G, Mosley C, Gamble A, Painter J, Ounpraseuth S, Brewer NT, Teeter B, Smith M, Halladay J, Hughes T, Shepherd JG, Hastings T, Simpson K, Carpenter D. Addressing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in rural community pharmacies: a protocol for a stepped wedge randomized clinical trial. Implement Sci 2023; 18:72. [PMID: 38110979 PMCID: PMC10726603 DOI: 10.1186/s13012-023-01327-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Uptake of COVID-19 vaccines remains problematically low in the USA, especially in rural areas. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is associated with lower uptake, which translates to higher susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 variants in communities where vaccination coverage is low. Because community pharmacists are among the most accessible and trusted health professionals in rural areas, this randomized clinical trial will examine implementation strategies to support rural pharmacists in delivering an adapted evidence-based intervention to reduce COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. METHODS We will use an incomplete stepped wedge trial design in which we will randomize 30 rural pharmacies (unit of analysis) to determine the effectiveness and incremental cost-effectiveness of a standard implementation approach (consisting of online training that describes the vaccine hesitancy intervention, live webinar, and resource website) compared to adding on a virtual facilitation approach (provided by a trained facilitator in support of the delivery of the vaccine hesitancy counseling intervention by pharmacists). The intervention (ASORT) has been adapted from an evidence-based vaccine communication intervention for HPV vaccines through a partnership with rural pharmacies in a practice-based research network in seven southern US states. ASORT teaches pharmacists how to identify persons eligible for COVID-19 vaccination (including a booster), solicit and address vaccine concerns in a non-confrontational way, recommend the vaccine, and repeat the steps later if needed. The primary trial outcome is fidelity to the ASORT intervention, which will be determined through ratings of recordings of pharmacists delivering the intervention. The secondary outcome is the effectiveness of the intervention, determined by rates of patients who agree to be vaccinated after receiving the intervention. Other secondary outcomes include feasibility, acceptability, adoption, reach, and cost. Cost-effectiveness and budget impact analyses will be conducted to maximize the potential for future dissemination and sustainability. Mixed methods will provide triangulation, expansion, and explanation of quantitative findings. DISCUSSION This trial contributes to a growing evidence base on vaccine hesitancy interventions and virtual-only facilitation of evidenced-based practices in community health settings. The trial will provide the first estimate of the relative value of different implementation strategies in pharmacy settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT05926544 (clinicaltrials.gov); 07/03/2023.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey Curran
- Center for Implementation Research, Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
| | - Cynthia Mosley
- Center for Implementation Research, Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Abigail Gamble
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jacob Painter
- Pharmaceutical Evaluation and Policy, Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Songthip Ounpraseuth
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Noel T Brewer
- Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Ben Teeter
- Center for Implementation Research, Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Megan Smith
- Center for Implementation Research, Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Jacquie Halladay
- Department of Family Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Tamera Hughes
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - J Greene Shepherd
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Tessa Hastings
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Kit Simpson
- Department of Health Care Leadership and Management, College of Health Professions, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
- Department of Public Health Science, College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Delesha Carpenter
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Beňová L, Semaan A, Portela A, Bonet M, van den Akker T, Pembe AB, Moran A, Duclos D. Facilitators and barriers of implementation of routine postnatal care guidelines for women: A systematic scoping review using critical interpretive synthesis. J Glob Health 2023; 13:04176. [PMID: 37997894 PMCID: PMC10668206 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.13.04176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Postnatal care (PNC) has the potential to prevent a substantial burden of maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality. This scoping review aimed to identify and synthesise themes related to facilitators and barriers of implementation of guidelines on routine PNC for women (postpartum care) in all settings. Methods This is a scoping review guided by the standard principles of Arksey & O'Malley's framework. We used the critical interpretive synthesis method to synthesise the whole body of evidence. We searched four databases (Medline, Embase, Global Health, CINAHL Plus) using a combination of search terms comprising four key concepts: postnatal care, routine care, guidelines and implementation. No restrictions on country or language of publication were applied. We excluded studies not presenting findings about PNC for women. We thematically charted the themes of studies included based on title and abstract screening. All studies included after full text screening were described and their results synthesised using the socio-ecological model framework. We did not conduct a risk of bias analysis or quality assessment of included studies. Results We identified a total of 8692 unique records and included 43 studies which identified facilitators and barriers to implementing routine guidelines in provision of PNC to women. Three quarters of studies pertained to PNC provision in high-income countries. Specific facilitators and barriers were identified and thematically presented based on whether they affect the provision of PNC or the intersection between provision of PNC and its use by women and families. We applied a critical global health lens to synthesise three constructs in the literature: finding a balance between standardisation and individualisation of PNC, the fragmented PNC provision landscape complicating the experiences of women with intersecting vulnerabilities, and the heavy reliance on the short postpartum period as an opportunity to educate and retain women and newborns in the health system. Conclusions This interpretive synthesis of evidence shows that the fragmented and narrow nature of PNC provision presents specific challenges to developing, adapting and implementing routine PNC guidelines. This results in a lack of linkages to social support and services, fails to address intersecting vulnerabilities and inequities among women, and negatively influences care seeking. There is a lack of evidence on how processes of individualising PNC provision can be applied in practice to support health workers in providing woman-centered PNC in various global settings. Registration https://www.protocols.io/private/C99DA688881F11EBB4690A58A9FEAC02.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenka Beňová
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Aline Semaan
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anayda Portela
- World Health Organization, Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mercedes Bonet
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Thomas van den Akker
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Andrea B Pembe
- Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam Tanzania (s)
| | - Allisyn Moran
- World Health Organization, Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Diane Duclos
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Camara BS, Delamou A, Grovogui FM, de Kok BC, Benova L, El Ayadi AM, Gerrets R, Grietens KP, Delvaux T. Interventions to increase facility births and provision of postpartum care in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review. Reprod Health 2021; 18:16. [PMID: 33478542 PMCID: PMC7819232 DOI: 10.1186/s12978-021-01072-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Most maternal deaths occur during the intrapartum and peripartum periods in sub-Saharan Africa, emphasizing the importance of timely access to quality health service for childbirth and postpartum care. Increasing facility births and provision of postpartum care has been the focus of numerous interventions globally, including in sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of this scoping review is to synthetize the characteristics and effectiveness of interventions to increase facility births or provision of postpartum care in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods We searched for systematic reviews, scoping reviews, qualitative studies and quantitative studies using experimental, quasi experimental, or observational designs, which reported on interventions for increasing facility birth or provision of postpartum care in sub-Saharan Africa. These studies were published in English or French. The search comprised six scientific literature databases (Pubmed, CAIRN, la Banque de Données en Santé Publique, the Cochrane Library). We also used Google Scholar and snowball or citation tracking. Results Strategies identified in the literature as increasing facility births in the sub-Saharan African context include community awareness raising, health expenses reduction (transportation or user fee), non-monetary incentive programs (baby kits), or a combination of these with improvement of care quality (patient’s privacy, waiting time, training of provider), and or follow-up of pregnant women to use health facility for birth. Strategies that were found to increase provision of postpartum care include improvement of care quality, community-level identification and referrals of postpartum problems and transport voucher program. Conclusions To accelerate achievements in facility birth and provision of postpartum care in sub-Saharan Africa, we recommend strategies that can be implemented sustainably or produce sustainable change. How to sustainably motivate community actors in health interventions may be particularly important in this respect. Furthermore, we recommend that more intervention studies are implemented in West and Central Africa, and focused more on postpartum. Plain English summary In in sub-Saharan Africa, many women die when giving or few days after birth. This happens because they do not have access to good health services in a timely manner during labor and after giving birth. Worldwide, many interventions have been implemented to Increase the number of women giving birth in a health facility or receiving care from health professional after giving birth. The objective of this study is to synthetize the characteristics and effectiveness of interventions that have been implemented in sub-Saharan Africa, aiming to increase the number of women giving birth in a health facility or receiving care from health professional after birth. To proceed with this synthesis, we did a review of studies that have reported on such interventions in sub-Saharan Africa. These studies were published in English or French. The interventions identified to increase the number of women giving birth in a health facility include community awareness raising, reduction of health expenses (transportation or user fee), non-monetary incentive programs (baby kits), or a combination of these with improvement of care quality (patient’s privacy, waiting time, training of provider), and or follow-up of pregnant women to use health facility for birth. Interventions implemented to increase the number women receiving care from a health professional after birth include improvement of care quality, transport voucher program and community-level identification and referrals to the health center of mothers’ health problems. In sub-Saharan Africa, to accelerate increase in the number of women giving birth in a health facility and receiving care from a health professional after, we recommend interventions that can be implemented sustainably or produce sustainable change. How to sustainably motivate community actors in health interventions may be particularly important in this respect. Furthermore, we recommend the conduct in West and Central Africa, of more studies targeting interventions to increase the number of women giving birth in a health facility and or receiving care from a health professional after birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bienvenu Salim Camara
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium. .,Department of Anthropology, Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. .,Centre National de Formation Et de Recherche en Santé Rurale de Maferinyah, Forécariah, Guinea.
| | - Alexandre Delamou
- Centre National de Formation Et de Recherche en Santé Rurale de Maferinyah, Forécariah, Guinea.,Centre D'Excellence Africain Pour La Prévention Et Le Contrôle Des Maladies Transmissibles (CEA-PCMT), Conakry, Guinea
| | - Fassou Mathias Grovogui
- Centre National de Formation Et de Recherche en Santé Rurale de Maferinyah, Forécariah, Guinea
| | - Bregje Christina de Kok
- Department of Anthropology, Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lenka Benova
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Alison Marie El Ayadi
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Rene Gerrets
- Department of Anthropology, Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Koen Peeters Grietens
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Thérèse Delvaux
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
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Lee S, Kim E, Desta TB. Gaps in Team Communication About Service Statistics Among Health Extension Workers in Ethiopia: Secondary Data Analysis. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2020; 8:e20848. [PMID: 32897231 PMCID: PMC7509634 DOI: 10.2196/20848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In Ethiopia, health extension workers (HEWs) are deployed across the country by the government to meet public health needs. Team communication is important for effective teamwork, but community health workers in low-resource settings like Ethiopia may face challenges in carrying out team meetings to compile service statistics. This is due to the nature of their outreach activities, which requires extensive travel. Objective This study aimed to identify gaps in team communication about service statistics among HEWs in Ethiopia. Considering mobile communication and data collection as tools for bridging these gaps, we examined disparities in access to electricity, which has been identified as one of the major barriers to this approach. Methods Data from the most recent Performance Monitoring and Accountability 2020 service delivery point survey were used for our analysis. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify disparities in team communication on service statistics for family planning, which is a major component of the HEW’s job. Disparities were examined across health facilities with different levels of HEW integration in their staffing structure (ie, no HEWs, at least one HEW, or only HEWs). Additionally, a chi-square test was conducted to examine disparities in access to electricity to explore the potential of mobile communication and data collection integration. Results In total, 427 health facilities of four different types (ie, hospitals, health centers, health posts, and health clinics) were included in our analysis. At most health posts (84/95, 88%), only HEWs were employed; none of the health clinics integrated the HEW model into their staffing structure. Among the 84 health posts, the odds of having team meetings on family planning service statistics in the past 12 months were 0.48 times the odds of those without HEWs (P=.02). No statistically significant differences were found between HEW-only facilities and facilities with at least one HEW. Most health facilities (69/83, 83.13%) with HEWs as the only staff had no electricity at the time of the survey while 71.25% (57/80) had intermittent access (ie, service disruption lasting 2 or more hours that day). There were statistically significant differences in electricity access among health facilities with different levels of HEW integration (P<.001). Conclusions Facilities employing only HEWs were less likely to have regular team meetings to discuss service statistics. Since their responsibilities involve extensive outreach activities, travel, and paper-based recordkeeping, empowering HEWs with mobile communication and data collection can be a workable solution. The empirical evidence regarding disparities in electricity access also supports the need for and the feasibility of this approach.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eunji Kim
- Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea
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Bergström A, Ehrenberg A, Eldh AC, Graham ID, Gustafsson K, Harvey G, Hunter S, Kitson A, Rycroft-Malone J, Wallin L. The use of the PARIHS framework in implementation research and practice-a citation analysis of the literature. Implement Sci 2020; 15:68. [PMID: 32854718 PMCID: PMC7450685 DOI: 10.1186/s13012-020-01003-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) framework was developed two decades ago and conceptualizes successful implementation (SI) as a function (f) of the evidence (E) nature and type, context (C) quality, and the facilitation (F), [SI = f (E,C,F)]. Despite a growing number of citations of theoretical frameworks including PARIHS, details of how theoretical frameworks are used remains largely unknown. This review aimed to enhance the understanding of the breadth and depth of the use of the PARIHS framework. METHODS This citation analysis commenced from four core articles representing the key stages of the framework's development. The citation search was performed in Web of Science and Scopus. After exclusion, we undertook an initial assessment aimed to identify articles using PARIHS and not only referencing any of the core articles. To assess this, all articles were read in full. Further data extraction included capturing information about where (country/countries and setting/s) PARIHS had been used, as well as categorizing how the framework was applied. Also, strengths and weaknesses, as well as efforts to validate the framework, were explored in detail. RESULTS The citation search yielded 1613 articles. After applying exclusion criteria, 1475 articles were read in full, and the initial assessment yielded a total of 367 articles reported to have used the PARIHS framework. These articles were included for data extraction. The framework had been used in a variety of settings and in both high-, middle-, and low-income countries. With regard to types of use, 32% used PARIHS in planning and delivering an intervention, 50% in data analysis, 55% in the evaluation of study findings, and/or 37% in any other way. Further analysis showed that its actual application was frequently partial and generally not well elaborated. CONCLUSIONS In line with previous citation analysis of the use of theoretical frameworks in implementation science, we also found a rather superficial description of the use of PARIHS. Thus, we propose the development and adoption of reporting guidelines on how framework(s) are used in implementation studies, with the expectation that this will enhance the maturity of implementation science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bergström
- Department of Women’s and Children’s health, Uppsala Global Health Research on Implementation and Sustainability (UGHRIS), Uppsala, Sweden
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Anna Ehrenberg
- School of Education, Health, and Social Studies, Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden
- Adelaide Nursing School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Ann Catrine Eldh
- Department of Medicine and Health, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Public Health and Caring Science, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ian D. Graham
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Kazuko Gustafsson
- School of Education, Health, and Social Studies, Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden
- University Library, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Gillian Harvey
- Adelaide Nursing School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Sarah Hunter
- Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Alison Kitson
- Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
- Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jo Rycroft-Malone
- Division of Health Research, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancashire, UK
| | - Lars Wallin
- School of Education, Health, and Social Studies, Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden
- Department of Health and Care Sciences, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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KC A, Ewald U, Basnet O, Gurung A, Pyakuryal SN, Jha BK, Bergström A, Eriksson L, Paudel P, Karki S, Gajurel S, Brunell O, Wrammert J, Litorp H, Målqvist M. Effect of a scaled-up neonatal resuscitation quality improvement package on intrapartum-related mortality in Nepal: A stepped-wedge cluster randomized controlled trial. PLoS Med 2019; 16:e1002900. [PMID: 31498784 PMCID: PMC6733443 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Improving quality of intrapartum care will reduce intrapartum stillbirth and neonatal mortality, especially in resource-poor settings. Basic neonatal resuscitation can reduce intrapartum stillbirth and early neonatal mortality, if delivered in a high-quality health system, but there is a dearth of evidence on how to scale up such evidence-based interventions. We evaluated the scaling up of a quality improvement (QI) package for neonatal resuscitation on intrapartum-related mortality (intrapartum stillbirth and first day mortality) at hospitals in Nepal. METHODS AND FINDINGS We conducted a stepped-wedge cluster randomized controlled trial in 12 hospitals over a period of 18 months from April 14, 2017, to October 17, 2018. The hospitals were assigned to one of four wedges through random allocation. The QI package was implemented in a stepped-wedge manner with a delay of three months for each step. The QI package included improving hospital leadership on intrapartum care, building health workers' competency on neonatal resuscitation, and continuous facilitated QI processes in clinical units. An independent data collection system was set up at each hospital to gather data on mortality through patient case note review and demographic characteristics of women using semi-structured exit interviews. The generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) and multivariate logistic regression were used for analyses. During this study period, a total of 89,014 women-infant pairs were enrolled. The mean age of the mother in the study period was 24.0 ± 4.3 years, with 54.9% from disadvantaged ethnic groups and 4.0% of them illiterate. Of the total birth cohort, 54.4% were boys, 16.7% had gestational age less than 37 weeks, and 17.1% had birth weight less than 2,500 grams. The incidence of intrapartum-related mortality was 11.0 per 1,000 births during the control period and 8.0 per 1,000 births during the intervention period (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.79; 95% CI, 0.69-0.92; p = 0.002; intra-cluster correlation coefficient [ICC], 0.0286). The incidence of early neonatal mortality was 12.7 per 1,000 live births during the control period and 10.1 per 1,000 live births during the intervention period (aOR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.78-1.02; p = 0.09; ICC, 0.1538). The use of bag-and-mask ventilation for babies with low Apgar score (<7 at 1 minute) increased from 3.2% in the control period to 4.0% in the intervention period (aOR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.32-1.77, p = 0.003). There were two major limitations to the study; although a large sample of women-infant pairs were enrolled in the study, the clustering reduced the power of the study. Secondly, the study was not sufficiently powered to detect reduction in early neonatal mortality with the number of clusters provided. CONCLUSION These results suggest scaled-up implementation of a QI package for neonatal resuscitation can reduce intrapartum-related mortality and improve clinical care. The QI intervention package is likely to be effective in similar settings. More implementation research is required to assess the sustainability of QI interventions and quality of care. TRIAL REGISTRATION ISRCTN30829654.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish KC
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health; Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Society of Public Health Physician Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal
- * E-mail:
| | - Uwe Ewald
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health; Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | | | | | - Bijay Kumar Jha
- Ministry of Health and Population, Government of Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Anna Bergström
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health; Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- UCL Institute for Global Health (IGH), University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Leif Eriksson
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Prajwal Paudel
- Nepal Health Research Council, RamshahPath, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | | | | | - Olivia Brunell
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health; Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Johan Wrammert
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health; Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Helena Litorp
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health; Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mats Målqvist
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health; Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Waiswa P, Okuga M, Kabwijamu L, Akuze J, Sengendo H, Aliganyira P, Pirio P, Hanson C, Kaharuza F. Using research priority-setting to guide bridging the implementation gap in countries - a case study of the Uganda newborn research priorities in the SDG era. Health Res Policy Syst 2019; 17:54. [PMID: 31151401 PMCID: PMC6544968 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-019-0459-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background One of the greatest challenges that countries face regarding the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets for child health regard the actions required to improve neonatal health; these interventions have to be informed by evidence. In view of the persisting high numbers of newborn deaths in Uganda, we aimed to define a locally contextualised national research agenda for newborn health to guide national investments towards SDG targets. Methods We adopted a systematic approach for priority-setting adapted from the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative. We identified and listed local newborn researchers and experts in Uganda by reviewing the PubMed database, through a snowballing technique, and engaged the Ministry of Health. Participants were requested to generate at least three research questions. The collated questions were sent to the same expert group to be rated using five criteria, including answerability, scalability, impact, generalisability and speed. Findings Of the 300 researchers and stakeholders contacted, 104 responded (36%) and generated 304 questions. These questions were collated and duplicates removed giving a condensed list of 41 research questions. These questions were then rated by 82 experts. Of the top 15 research questions, 86.7% (13/15) were in the service delivery and 6.7% (1/15) in the development domain, while only 6.7% (1/15) was in the group ‘other’. None of the leading 15 questions was in the discovery domain. Strategies to improve quality of intrapartum care featured high in the responses, while research around care for premature babies was not a perceived focus of research. Conclusions The focus of improved evidence to guide and innovate service delivery, foremost intrapartum care, reflects the importance of this area as accelerated improvement is likely to yield fast and sustained survival gains in the neonatal period and beyond in Uganda. We recommend that other countries adapt a similar approach in defining priority reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health areas for investment in order to accelerate progress towards achieving the SDGs. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12961-019-0459-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Waiswa
- Department of Health Policy, Planning and Management, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda. .,Makerere University, Center of Excellence for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, Kampala, Uganda. .,Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Monica Okuga
- Department of Health Policy, Planning and Management, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.,Makerere University, Center of Excellence for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Lydia Kabwijamu
- Department of Health Policy, Planning and Management, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.,Makerere University, Center of Excellence for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Joseph Akuze
- Department of Health Policy, Planning and Management, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.,Makerere University, Center of Excellence for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, Kampala, Uganda.,London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Patricia Pirio
- Saving Newborn Lives, Save the Children, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Claudia Hanson
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Frank Kaharuza
- Department of Health Policy, Planning and Management, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.,Makerere University, Center of Excellence for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, Kampala, Uganda
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